Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Due to extremely dry and drought like
conditions, the fire hazard for the Rolla community is severe. Fire
Administration continues to enforce an open burning ban within the City of
Rolla while also continuing to review procedures and policies regarding
fireworks over the July 4th holiday.

Over the last several years, the fire
service has observed the increased use of sky lanterns. Sky lanterns are
also considered a device designed to carry an open flame (i.e. airborne light,
kongming lantern, wish lantern, sky candle, fire balloon, etc.)

With the extreme conditions, effective
immediately, by the order of Robert Williams, Fire Chief, the use of sky
lanterns and/or similar device will be prohibited in the City Limits of
Rolla. The Fire Chief has the authority given to him by the adoption of
City Ordinance 14-1 and the International Fire Code 2000.

Sky lanterns are paper globes which are
gently lifted into the air by small candles or other heating elements, working
on the same principle as much larger hot air balloons. As they lift
hundreds and sometimes thousands of feet in the air, sky lanterns often drift
miles from where they were initially launched, causing concerns they could
start fires without any knowledge by those launching them into the air.

"Basically you're unleashing a
flammable torch into the sky with zero control over where it's going to
go," said Fire Chief Robert Williams. "They are unpredictable and can
cause what was to be a special moment to end in tragedy.”

Although sky lanterns are prohibited at this time, individual citizens
will be allowed to display fireworks on July 1st - July 5th from
8 a.m. -
midnight.

If you are going to display fireworks, we would ask that you be
considerate of your neighbors, have an extinguishing agent accessible (fire
extinguisher or water hose), and use extreme caution.

The
City of Rolla Fire & Rescue in conjunction with all Phelps County Fire
Protection Districts, which include the City of Rolla, Rolla Rural, St. James,
Doolittle Rural, Duke, Newburg, and Edgar Springs, have issued a burn ban until
further notice. No open burning will be allowed in Phelps County until we
receive significant rainfall.

Due
to hot and extremely dry conditions along with the continued drought, the fire
danger is severe. Fire officials say a lack of adequate rainfall and warmer
temperatures make conditions for burning potentially dangerous.

“Some
of the dangers that we most frequently see are a small controlled burn that due
to dry conditions, expands rapidly and the property owner loses control very
quickly,” said City of Rolla Fire Chief Robert Williams. “Wild fires can spread
very rapidly, therefore putting citizens at risk.”

Fireworks
displays may be restricted, depending upon local jurisdiction (City Ordinance).
In the City of Rolla, fireworks displays over the July 4th holiday
will be allowed; however, we would remind the public that fireworks within the
city limits of Rolla may only be displayed from July 1 – July 5 from 8 a.m. to
midnight each day. With the extreme heat and drought conditions, we would ask
that residents have a fire extinguishing agent (i.e., fire extinguisher, water
hose, etc.) nearby while displaying fireworks.

If
you plan on burning anything in the future, fire officials are advising that
you contact them to inquire if the ban is still enacted.

Rolla City Council

Mtg., July 2

The
next Rolla City Council meeting will be held on Monday, July 2 at 6:30 p.m. in
the Council Chambers at Rolla City Hall, 901 N. Elm Street.

Rolla
City Council meetings are ordinarily held the first and third Monday of the
month at 6:30 p.m. except when there is a conflict with an observed holiday.To review a copy of the City
Council agendas or the full agenda packet, please visit http://rollacity.org/admin/agenda.shtml#agenda.
For more information, please contact Rolla City Administration at 426-6948.

Independence Dollar Day

July 4th at SplashZone

Cool off,
relax and beat the heat during Independence Dollar Day at SplashZone on
Wednesday, July 4. Admission is just $1.

Hours on July
4 at SpashZone, Rolla's outdoor water park, are 12-noon to 4 p.m.

SpashZone is
located near The Centre (1200 N. Holloway St.), on 14th Street, next to the Ber
Juan Tennis Complex.

With two
giant water slides, a long, lazy river, and the world's largest vortext, you
don't want to miss this opportunity to visit SplashZone for just $1.

As
you begin to make plans for the Independence Day Holiday, please keep in mind
that Rolla City Hall will be closed on Wednesday, July 4.

The
Centre, Rolla’s Health and Recreation Complex, (located at 1200 N. Holloway
Street), will be open on July 4 from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. SplashZone, Rolla’s
outdoor water park, (located in Ber Juan Park next to The Centre on 14th
Street), will have Independence Dollar Day on July 4 and will be open from
12-noon to 4 p.m. Admission for everyone is $1 on July 4.

The
City’s Environmental Services Department will be closed on Wednesday, July 4,
however, regular residential trash and recycling collections will not be
affected by the Independence Day holiday.

The
City of Rolla Fire and Rescue is conducting their annual business safety inspections,
and one of the items they check for is a visible and conspicuous address number
to identify the location of each business.

By
properly displaying address numerals that contrast with the color of the
dwelling, fire, safety and medical responders can more quickly identify a
property when responding to an emergency call, or during other safety or
medical related matters.

In
addition, property owners who have recently remodeled or re-sided their homes,
or whose address numbers are not visible, need to ensure their street or
property address is easily identifiable somewhere on the structure and visible
from the street.

A violation of the requirements of this
Ordinance shall constitute an offense which could be punishable by a fine not
to exceed $50.

This
requirement is in keeping with the City’s Ordinance relating to Chapter 6 (Sec.
6-1, Article 1 – In General) “Street
numbers required of property owners on dwelling or structure.”

If you have any questions relating to these
requirements, please contact Rolla City Administration at 426-6948.

Rolla Downtown

Farmer’s Market

open every Tuesday

The
Rolla Downtown Farmer’s Market is open and operating under the new shade
structure in the lower parking lot of Rolla City Hall from 7 a.m. until 12-noon
each Tuesday throughout the growing season.

The
Farmer’s Market is coordinated by Roy Fiscus and Wilma Bingham, and spots are
available for vendors to sell their items, but they must be locally grown or
made products/produce (Phelps County).

No
flea market, yard sale type items will be permitted. All spots are first come,
first served. The cost to host a booth is $2 per day, which is given to the
organizers the day the vendors are there.

If
you happen to miss the airing of a Rolla City Council meeting, Planning &
Zoning meeting, Rolla Public School Board meeting or Board of Public Works
meeting, you can now watch them live on the Rolla Channel 16 Website at http://rollachannel16.com.

Rolla
Channel 16, Rolla’s premiere Education and Government channel, is also now live
streaming (24/7) at http://rollachannel16.com.
RC16 is live streaming all Rolla City Council meetings, Rolla Planning &
Zoning Commission meetings, Rolla Public Schools board meetings, Rolla High
School Review and “City Minutes” hosted by the City of Rolla’s Communications
Office.

Other
syndicated content on RC16 such as Missouri Outdoors, Army Newswatch, and
Capitol Dialogue will also live stream on RC16 at http://rollachannel16.com.

Monday, June 25, 2012

The
City of Rolla Fire & Rescue in conjunction with all Phelps County Fire
Protection Districts, which include the City of Rolla, Rolla Rural, St. James,
Doolittle Rural, Duke, Newburg, and Edgar Springs, have issued a burn ban until
further notice. No open burning will be allowed in Phelps County until we
receive significant rainfall.

Due
to hot and extremely dry conditions along with the continued drought, the fire
danger is severe. Fire officials say a lack of adequate rainfall and warmer
temperatures make conditions for burning potentially dangerous.

“Some
of the dangers that we most frequently see are a small controlled burn that due
to dry conditions, expands rapidly and the property owner loses control very
quickly,” said City of Rolla Fire Chief Robert Williams. “Wild fires can spread
very rapidly, therefore putting citizens at risk.”

Fireworks
displays may be restricted, depending upon local jurisdiction (City Ordinance).
In the City of Rolla, fireworks displays over the July 4th holiday
will be allowed; however, we would remind the public that fireworks within the
city limits of Rolla may only be displayed from July 1 – July 5 from 8 a.m. to midnight
each day. With the extreme heat and drought conditions, we would ask that
residents have a fire extinguishing agent (i.e., fire extinguisher, water hose,
etc.) nearby while displaying fireworks.

If
you plan on burning anything in the future, fire officials are advising that
you contact them to inquire if the ban is still enacted.

Summertime in Rolla means baseball, softball
(fast pitch and slow pitch) and lots of high caliber tournaments at the Ber
Juan Sportsplex located in Ber Juan Park (off 18th Street) in Rolla.

These
highly competitive and entertaining games and tournaments, which are organized
and operated through the City’s Parks and Recreation Department, have brought a
significant level of notoriety and state-wide exposure to the Ber Juan
Sportsplex where it’s not uncommon for 60 to 80 softball (fast and slow pitch)
and baseball games to be played over the course of one weekend. In addition to
providing great recreational and social opportunities at one of the premiere
sportplexes in Outstate Missouri, these games and tournaments are bringing in
hundreds of players and visitors who are staying at local hotels, shopping at
our stores, dining atrestaurants, and getting
fuel, ice and drinks at our service stations.

To
illustrate how parks and recreation departments are one of the engines of
tourism and economic development not only in Rolla but throughout the country,
an Economic Impact Report was done on the Black Ice Girls’ Fastpitch Tournament
held June 1-3, 2012 at the Ber Juan Sportsplex. It’s important to note that the
Black Ice tournament did not include any teams from Phelps County or the
surrounding counties, and that all the teams were from the state of Missouri.
Based on 35 surveys that were completed over three days, the 29 visiting teams
accounted for over 1,300 total visitors each day for a 3-day total of nearly
4,000. The total amount of money spent in Rolla was just over $150,000, and 31
of the 35 survey participants said they would not have come to Rolla at this
time if this event had not been held. In
short, the Ber Juan Sportsplex is an economic and tourism boom to the Rolla and
Phelps County area, and we are glad to see the type of high level athletic
events and sports tourism that are generated from all the tournament play at
the Ber Juan Sports Complex.

The
Parks and Recreation Department staff is doing a great job hosting these
tournaments, and maintaining all the ball fields, concession stands and park
area while ensuring the fields and facilities are in top-notch condition. And
judging by the amount and quality of the teams and athletes that travel from
several states in the Mid-West and beyond to compete in the softball and
baseball tournaments at Ber Juan, there’s no denying that the Ber Juan
Sportsplex has become a high priority on the radar screen for the sporting
world.

In
addition to all the sporting events taking place at Ber Juan, there are also
numerous high school level basketball and volleyball teams participating in the
well known Licking Tournaments that are held every summer at The Centre,
Rolla’s Health and Recreation complex, located just around the bend in Ber Juan
Park. Hundreds of athletes and their families and friends attend these highly
sought after camps, and they too are spending considerable time in the Rolla
are while they are attending the camps, staying in hotels, shopping, dinging,
getting fuel, etc. The staff at The Centre and the Parks and Recreation
Department have all done an outstanding job hosting these camps year after
year, and the rising attendance, and popularity of the camps are a testament to
the great facilities, service and hospitality that is provided to the players,
coaches and spectators.

One
of the added benefits for teams who participate in the tournaments at the Ber
Juan Sportsplex is the close proximity to SplashZone, Rolla’s outdoor water
park, located just down the street off 14th Street next to the Ber
Juan Tennis Complex. Players, spectators and visitors can wind down and cool
off at this great outdoor facility.

Monday, June 18, 2012

The
public is invited to attend a FREE Child Safety Seat Clinic on Tuesday, June
19; Wednesday, June 20; and Thursday, June 21 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the City
of Rolla Fire and Rescue headquarters (located at 1490 E. 10th
Street in Rolla).

During
this clinic, certified child safety seat technicians will inspect your child
car seat, and show you how to correctly install and use it.

According
to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, three out of four child
safety seats are improperly installed. In 2011, eight children less than
eight-years-old were killed and 1,624 children were injured as occupants in
motor vehicle crashes in Missouri.

A
limited number of seats are available at no charge to those that meet income
guidelines. For more information on this program, please call Lynette Manley,
City of Rolla Fire & Rescue, at 364-3989 or Lisa at the Phelps County
Health Department at 458-6030.